Flexible neck toothbrushes are known in the art. Flexible necks can increase brushing efficacy since the brush head may be better oriented to specific relationships with a user's teeth and gums. Secondly, if appropriately configured, a flexible neck may limit the amount of force applied to the teeth and gums during brushing. It is documented that excessive brushing force can be deleterious to the user's teeth and gums.
Traditionally, electric toothbrushes utilize a relatively rigid hollow neck. This is primarily due to the fact that a moving drive mechanism resides within the handle and neck portion of the toothbrush. In an alternate arrangement, U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,796 discloses an electric toothbrush having a rotating flexible stem that frictionally engages a motor. The rotating flexible stem is not disposed within a neck structure that is separately attached to the handle of the electric toothbrush. While the prior designs may have been suitable for their intended purpose, there is a continuing need to provide electric toothbrushes having flexible necks that can accommodate bristle carriers that move in other and more complex motions. Further, there is a desire to provide electric toothbrushes having flexible neck that can include static as well as moving bristles. Still further, there is a desire to provide electric toothbrushes having flexible necks in which the direction and amount of flexure can be controlled. Yet further, there is a continuing desire to provide electric toothbrushes having flexible necks that have simplified constructions.